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As a unit, they face life’s ups, downs, highs, lows, trials, tribula ons, tragedies, triumphs, and everything in between. They change, learn, and grow as one. However, Los Angeles band JOHNNYSWIM doesn’t just seem like a family; it is a family. At the core, husband-and-wife—Abner Ramirez and Amanda Sudano— translate the memories, moments, and milestones on their journey into spirited, slick, and soulful anthems steeped in singer-songwriter tradi on, yet amplified by alterna ve experimenta on, rock energy, and pop ambi on.

The music moves as the couple’s life does, scrapbooking unforge able experiences in melody like an eternal keepsake of their rela onship.

“The music is the backdrop on which our life gets painted,” affirms Abner. “We’re not just wri ng partners; we’re partners. There’s no balance between work and romance. It’s all a gumbo. Our first excuse to date and hang out was wri ng together. We say things be er in song than we discuss them in person. We’ve seen terrible things, brilliant things, and beau ful things as a couple. The albums and performances become the canvas that loss, gain, romance, and love are subconsciously painted— unbeknownst to us, honestly.”

“I add in macy, and he adds fire,” exclaims Amanda. “It’s important to have both. That’s really the balance of what JOHNNYSWIM is.”

As the story goes, Abner felt love-at-first sight upon seeing Amanda. Immediately, he thought, “That’s the girl I’m going to marry.” The only problem was he declared it aloud in front of his date (who promptly became his last ex). To add insult to injury, Amanda shrugged him off with an eye-roll as well. Four years passed un l their paths crossed again at a 2005 Nashville wri ng session. The rela onship experienced its makeups and breakups before they married in 2009—a year removed from the arrival of their self- tled debut EP, JOHNNYSWIM.

Building a fanbase through constant touring, 2013’s Heart Beats EP spawned “Don’t Let It Get You Down,” which clocked 17 million-plus Spo fy streams. Their first full-length, Diamonds, arrived in 2014 as its single “Home” famously became the theme to HGTV hit Fixer Upper. The 2016 follow-up Georgica Pond yielded another fan favorite “First Try” as the duo sold out dates around the world. Along the way, they garnered acclaim from Rolling Stone, NPR, The New York Times, Huffington Post, Nylon, Du Jour, and VH1 in addi on to performing on The Today Show, CONAN, and more.

In early 2017, JOHNNYSWIM commenced work on ideas for what would become their 2019 third full- length, Moonlight [Britannia Row Recordings/BMG]. Amidst a series of professional changes and Amanda’s pregnancy with their second child, they kick-started the next chapter.

“All of the signs pointed towards brand new beginnings and brand new starts,” Abner admits. “With all of those feelings, there was an cipa on in the air for something fresh. I had produced everything up un l this point. We wanted to engage a producer who could free us up to experiment. It all began by an cipa ng something new. In an unforeseen way, that new thing was working with Malay.”

Over the course of the next year, they wrote and recorded with GRAMMY® Award-winning producer and songwriter Malay [Frank Ocean, Sam Smith]. The musicians went from wri ng in the producer’s Brooklyn apartment (where he cooked them a delicious tomahawk steak during their first session) to his new Britannia Row Recordings studio in Hollywood. After recording in home studios throughout their career, the new se ng offered the same in macy as well as a breath of fresh air.

“I was pregnant when we started, and Luna was born in the middle of the process—which was a first for us,” recalls Amanda. “It was a really welcoming environment though. We were all so comfortable. Malay made it so we could just focus on the songs, while he handled recording. We’d build the structures, and he’d put this magic around them like our fairy godfather,” she laughs.

That magic carries through all twelve tracks. Opener “Bridges” hinges on echoing guitar and a steady beat as Amanda and Abner belt out the incendiary chant, “Let’s burn the bridges down. Light ‘em up. Don’t turn it around. No escape through the ashes now.”

“It felt representa ve of the album and these days of our life together,” explains Abner. “I don’t know what’s ahead of us, but I’m know I’m willing to burn down everything that’s behind us. That’s what marriage is. That’s what family is. That’s commi ng yourself. When you commit to raising your kids, you burn the bridges to your past self. You’re a new person. We’re not going backwards. I’m willing to risk everything for what’s ahead of us. It’s our anthem.”

Elsewhere, a stomping groove and delicately plucked acous c guitar underscore a charisma c and confident send-off on “Say What You Will.”

“I wouldn’t say anything to my eighteen-year-old self, but I’d say something to those around him who disregarded and downplayed this dream,” Abner sighs. “A lot of people are unwilling to take chances. So, they project their fears on you and tell you to stop taking chances. They have to jus fy the reasons they haven’t pursued their dreams or chased a passion. I’d say, ‘Do what you need to do, but we’re going to be just fine’.”

“It was surreal,” smiles Amanda. “Michael’s voice is just unbelievable. To record with him was amazing.”

“Lyrically, it’s our story,” says Abner. “The moment I saw Amanda for the first me was the last me I dated anybody else. It’s a special one.”

The album illuminates the expanse of JOHNNYSWIM’s musical pale e. “Marie a” gallops from a jazz-y intro into theatrical delivery about Abner leaving his hometown. The finale “Same Old Thing” examines the fragility of marriage and frayed bonds as the lyrics tackle divorces among the pair’s friends over listless guitar.

“I love pu ng it last, because it’s a reminder this album isn’t about the sweetness of love,” Abner says. “It’s about the reality of love.”

“There’s a theme to Moonlight,” Amanda elaborates. “It’s love, but not the ideal or romance of love. It’s all of the things that actually come with loving someone and caring about someone who’s not perfect. There’s tragedy in it. There’s frustra on in it. There’s joy in it. That’s Moonlight.”

In the end, JOHNNYSWIM emerge stronger than ever together as a family and a band on Moonlight.

“I’d love for people to hear Moonlight and feel known, seen, and unashamed regardless of where they’re at on the spectrum of romance—whether it’s first fast love, making babies, or in the middle of a dream that’s falling apart,” Abner leaves off. “I want them to feel like we’re speaking for them no ma er what.”

“You can listen to a record and walk away feeling like your spirit is nourished,” Amanda concludes. “That’s what I want. I hope it marks a me for you and your family, where you can associate these songs with those special moments.”

NEW HAVEN CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS

Formed to revitalize and open College Street Music Hall, the NHCPA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with an educational and outreach mission to build audiences for the performing arts and deepen their engagement. Programs accessible to diverse ages, abilities, ethnic and cultural groups are developed with input from community leaders in art, culture, tourism and education.

NHPCA works with a network of collaborating partners to create awareness of the resources and opportunities at College Street Music Hall. Community engagement and outreach involves New Haven’s performing arts schools as well as organizations large and small across the creative ecosystem. Charitable contributions support NHCPA’s programs and are fully tax-deductible.

Interested in learning more about our performing arts mission and how you can help? Contact the Director of Community Engagement and Outreach at outreach@collegestreetmusichall.com.